Stems unbranched (occasionally 2-3-branched near base), green, ovoid to elongate-cylindric, 2.9-25(-35) × 2.8-12.5(-20) cm; ribs usually (11-)13(-15), well developed, tubercles evident on ribs. Spines obscuring stems; radial spines 4-6 per areole, acicular, elliptic or rhombic in cross section, 19 × 1.3-2 mm; central spines 6-9 per areole, usually 8; abaxial central spine usually 1 per areole, porrect, straw colored to brown, highlighted with purple or red, terete or somewhat angled, hooked, (15-)30-46 × 1.5 mm; lateral central spines 5-8 per areole, similar to abaxial but slightly shorter and usually not hooked; adaxial central erect, white or straw colored, straight or curved, angled to flat, somewhat inconspicuous, triangular in cross section, 25-55 × 1-2 mm. Flowers narrowly funnelform to campanulate, 2.5-3.5(-4) × 1.6-3.1(-3.6) cm; outer tepals with greenish to purple with brownish midstripes, pink, purple, or whitish margins, larger ones oblanceolate, 10-18 × 4-7.5 mm, margins membranous and crisped or minutely toothed, apex mucronate; inner tepals purple, sometimes suffused with brown, largest tepals oblanceolate, 15-22(-30) × 4-6 mm, margins irregularly toothed, apex mucronate; filaments white, tinged with pink to pink-purple; anthers yellow; ovary minutely papillate, appearing smooth. Fruits irregularly dehiscent or dehiscent through basal abscission pore, green to tan, sometimes suffused with pink, 7-15 × 5-12 mm, dry; scales few, membranous, scarious-margined, minutely toothed or fringed. Seeds brown or black, 1.2-2.5 × 1.9-3.5 mm; testa with rounded papillae. (Flora of North America, Vol. 4, 2003).

Flowering late April to early June